1825: Fur Traders
"[At my outpost on the Bonnechere] . . . I met with a very friendly reception, and had the good fortune to prevail upon the Indians to deliver me their furs upon the spot, which formed a very heavy load for both myself and men." ~ John McLean, Fur Trader, c. 1825
Fur was Canada’s — and the Bonnechere’s — first commodity, and traders operated in the Bonnechere until the mid-19th century. While little is known of French fur-trade activities in the area, in 1825 John McLean established a Hudson’s Bay post at Golden Lake to encourage trade with Algonquins. By 1832, Charles Thomas was in charge of the post that soon became known as Charlie's Hope. However, it was abandoned in 1853 as fur trading made way for lumbering.
